BUG: Favorite Icons Cost Too Much Time

[RX-23]

Checks

• I have checked that this issue has not already been reported.

• I am using the latest version of Flow Launcher.

Problem Description

After updating FlowLauncher to 1.20.0, it broke. Starting it up showed nothing in the taskbar. I gave it a clean reinstall using Winget in Terminal on Windows 11.

However it didn't fix the issue. When launched, FlowLauncher does show in the Task Manager but there's nothing in the taskbar, no shortcuts work either. The only way to turn it off is to End Task in Task Manager.

If I understood the log correctly, one of the errors is it can't find links to certain files. However I checked the file paths and the shortcuts/.lnk are in the folders it specifies.

To Reproduce

1. ...
2. ...
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Screenshots

Flow Launcher Version

1.20.0

Windows Build Number

10.0.22631.5413

Error Log

2025-06-04.txt

[Jack251970]

All things look good in the log file. Could you please check if this pre-release version can help?

https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Prereleases/releases/tag/v1.20.0.11957

[DInfanger]

I have the exact same problem. The pre-release version didn't work, unfortunatelty. I added my log just in case. Thank you!

2025-06-04.txt

[Jack251970]

I have the exact same problem. The pre-release version didn't work, unfortunatelty. I added my log just in case. Thank you!

2025-06-04.txt

Have you waited for enough time?

[Jack251970]

In log file, the only thing I can observe is that Flow is still initializing plugins

[DInfanger]

Incredible! It took >5 Minutes but Flow started successfully. Thanks for your help.

[Jack251970]

Incredible! It took >5 Minutes but Flow started successfully. Thanks for your help.

I am glad that it helps

[DInfanger]

I still would consider it to be a bug, because waiting >5 Minutes every time I start Flow isn't great.

[Jack251970]

I still would consider it to be a bug, because waiting >5 Minutes every time I start Flow isn't great.

Since this version we have changed things about caching & data storage, I think it is normal to start Flow of new version for such long time during the first startup. And have you found it still costs so much time during next startup?

[Jack251970]

If so, you can send my the log file and I can help you check the time consumption.

[DInfanger]

It's the browser bookmarks plugin. After disabling it, Flow now starts instantly. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks again.

[RX-23]

Huh, Flow Launcher wasn't starting up on the pre-release either ( maybe I haven't waited long enough ). I was going to try one more time but then I saw the plugin mentioned, so I tried removing browser bookmarks plugin and that caused Flow Launcher to start up immediately without any issues

Adding it back to the plugin folder causes the issue to repeat